Born in Berlin in 1929, Dohnányi, who continued to conduct even in his old age, ranks alongside Herbert Blomstedt as one of the true grand masters among conductors. Dohnányi conducted the Vienna Philharmonic in over 100 concerts and at the Vienna State Opera. Many recordings of this special partnership are now available on 31 CDs and one DVD – from Mozart and Beethoven to Stravinsky and Strauss. Highlights include previously unreleased recordings of Strauss' Burleske, the critically acclaimed Mendelssohn symphony cycle and “Die erste Walpurgisnacht” (The First Walpurgis Night), as well as recordings from the Deutsche Grammophon archive, which are available again for the first time since their initial release on vinyl. The set is completed by recordings with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and the Concertgebouw Orchestra.

The CD box set includes the original covers, photos from the recording sessions, and an essay by Andrew Stewart.